Needle Felting for Beginners - Arnold Library - Adult Learning

About this course

Learn the basics of needle felting and create 3D objects using wool roving and a special felting needle. 

You will learn how to create basic shapes using the needle felting technique, before moving on to making simple animals and birds. Week one will cover the basics of needle felting and how to create round felted beads. Week two is all about creating simplified animals and Week three will show you how to make a needle felted bird! Think ahead of time what animal and bird you want to create and what colours of wool roving might be needed to create them (see materials required below). 

What will learners achieve by the end of the course?  

• Be able to create round felt beads  
• Understand how the needle felting process works 
• Be able to attach felted parts together to create a simple animal 
• Add a top layer of wool to create fur 
• Create a needle felted bird, complete with beak, eyes and feather pattern. 

Learners should bring:

• Wool roving (unspun wool, (NOT normal knitting yarn) in a selection of different colours (think about what animal and bird you want to make during the course and what colours might be needed to create them!) If there are options of types of wool, Merion or Corridale are good options.  
• Needle Felting Needles; you will need standard triangular felting needles (size 36). We recommend buying at least a couple as they can break when you are first learning. 
• Foam, dense sponge or felting brush to felt onto. An offcut of blue upholstery foam about 15cm square and 5cm thick (6 inches square and 2.5 inches thick) is ideal.  
• If you struggle with grip or dexterity in your hands, a felting needle holder (for single or 3 needles) can be helpful.  
• Small black beads to use as eyes (optional) 

Supplies can be purchased from: 

• The Bead Shop Nottingham 
• Boyes 
• Hobbycraft 
• World of Wool (www.worldorfwool.co.uk) 
• Amazon 
• Local Markets often have stalls selling blue upholstery foam. 

Booking your place and fee information

If you are in receipt of certain benefits you will be offered the course for free, however if you have a financial barrier which may prevent you from enrolling on the course  please visit our webpage for further information  https://www.inspireculture.org.uk/skills-learning/funding-your-courses/

To secure your place on the course BOTH the following must be done:

• Complete the EVENTBRITE BOOKING.
• Complete our INSPIRE ONLINE ENROLMENT FORM for each person attending the course.

You should be redirected to the Inspire Online Enrolment Form after completing the Eventbrite booking.  If you are not redirected, please use the link supplied in the Eventbrite booking confirmation email.

To book and enrol on one of our courses, you must have been living in England and have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years.

Some exceptions may apply if you are living in England with evidence of the right to remain and are from an EEU/EEAU country (completion of a questionnaire will be required).

As we no longer receive funding for our ESFA-funded courses for learners living in the devolved areas listed below, full cost fees would apply to these courses if you live in these areas:

• Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield 
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
• Greater London
• Greater Manchester
• Liverpool City Region
• Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland
• Tees Valley
• West of England
• West Midlands
• West Yorkshire

Any questions?

Check the FAQs page, or get in touch:

• By phone: 01623 677 200
• By email: learning@inspireculture.org.uk

Book online with Eventbrite

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